Phillips had claimed, in a column for the Daily Mail, Wales failed to take some chances of tries during their 16-16 draw with Six Nations champions Ireland in Dublin last Sunday because of a lack of confidence.

He maintained it needed “to be instilled from above” and added: “Training with Wales can be very, very intense.

“A lot of pressure comes from the coaches and that can stop the players from expressing themselves. If there’s a small mistake, one of the coaches will always blow up.

“Sometimes it’s a bit over the top and you just think: ‘Jesus, chill out. It’s one dropped ball. It’s not the end of the world’.

“There are times when you just need to big each other up and give some confidence, especially towards the end of the week, so you can go out and play with a clear head.”